When Nicola Easterby created her blog 'Polkadot Passport', she simply wanted to share her overseas adventures with friends and family.
Seven years, 57 countries and 280,000 Instagram followers later, the travel photographer and blogger shares how she cracked into the industry then pivoted in the pandemic and tips for fellow travellers.
How did you get into the travel industry?
Eight years ago, I took my first solo overseas trip and fell in love with travel photography. During that trip, my photography got picked up by a tour company that wanted to purchase some of my holiday snaps. This got my foot in the door of travel photography and I then travelled to 14 different countries to create content for them.
At the same time, I started my travel blog and Instagram, Polkadot Passport, as a place to share my overseas adventures with my family and friends. Over the years, it started to gain traction and before I knew it, I had tourism boards, airlines and travel brands across the world wanting to work with me.
What has been a benefit of social media during your travel career?
It's crazy to think that if social media didn't exist, neither would my career in travel. I was lucky enough to jump on the Instagram bandwagon quite early in the game so I saw a lot of organic growth to my account before any algorithms kicked in or the travel space became very competitive.
Having a solid following on social media opened up a world of opportunity in the travel space.
..And a challenge?
When I started on Instagram, it was simply about sharing photos. Now, it's about sharing stories, reels, short and long-form video content, the list goes on.
It's pretty overwhelming trying to keep up with the trends, stay relevant and stand out in an oversaturation market. Social media fatigue is a real thing, and I've been particularly experiencing it since COVID hit and I haven't been able to create much new content.
Where was the first overseas trip you ever took?
The first overseas trip I took was on a missions trip to Cambodia when I was 15. I had lived in a comfortable, privileged, naive bubble up until this point. Seeing how people who lived with so little could still have so much joy, turned my world upside down.
These memories have never left me. I also have some strong memories of getting violently ill when staying at a village that I would rather forget…
What is the greatest trip you've ever been on?
My best friend and I went on the most epic 3-month trip. We started off by volunteering in Bali for 10 days, then flew to Europe for a few weeks to hit up the Christmas markets before popping over to New York for a week of non-stop eating.
We then headed over to Canada, met up with some of our friends and spent Christmas in a cosy log cabin, then flew down to Mexico for a New Years filled with margaritas and sunshine. We finished the trip off with a thrilling tour around Cuba.
What destination has most surprised you?
Of all the places I have visited, Cuba probably surprised me the most- in both good and bad ways. The atmosphere was more vibrant, the scenery more stunning and the culture more unique than I had imagined.
However, the poverty and political unrest were far worse than I had realised, so visiting was very eye-opening.
Are there any items you always take a trip?
Noise-cancelling headphones were the best travel item I've ever invested in. Being able to block out the white noise on a plane is a game changer!
What are some tips you'd give new travellers?
1. Download offline maps on your phone and mark where you are staying so you don't get stuck if you don't have internet! I'd also recommend marking places you visit on maps so you have a record of them for the future.
2. When packing your carry-on, make sure your drink bottle is empty, liquids are in a separate container and laptop is easily accessible. This will make going through security seamless and ensure you're not fumbling around when you hit the counter.
3. Pack a small bag of things you'll need for the duration of the flight (headphones, drink bottle, eye mask, book, snacks etc) that you can easily separate from the carry-on you put in the overhead locker. This will save you from having to get up and down throughout the flight.
When was your last overseas trip?
The last time I travelled overseas (other than Australia) was on a work trip Paris at the start of 2019, right before the pandemic hit. Very grateful as it is one of my favourite places in the world!
What do you miss most about travel?
I feel most alive when I travel. Being out of my comfort zone and without routine, I become more relaxed, more curious and more spontaneous. I miss that feeling.
Where would you travel first when the borders open up?
After we've gone to Australia to visit my family and Canada to visit my husband's family, we can't wait to head over to Europe! My heart is yearning to go back. It's the continent where I feel most at home, I love it so much.
How has your work changed with the pandemic?
As the majority of the work I did was reliant on international travel, my job has changed pretty drastically.
I have more or less had to put Polkadot Passport on hold until travel resumes. This meant shifting my focus away from the travel sphere and seeking out opportunities to utilize my social media and photography skills elsewhere.
Your work has pivoted sightly from travel, what do you do now?
At the start of this year, my husband and I started an agency, Cedar and Gold Creative, which focuses on photography and web design for the food, beverage and hospitality sector.
Alongside this, I have gotten very passionate about cooking and recipe development throughout the course of lockdown and started a food blog, Gourmet Vegetarians.